The Disadvantages Of Giving Up Carbs

11 Struggles Only People Who Have Given Up Carbs Will Understand

If you're looking to lose weight and burn fat, you might entertain the prospect of giving up carbs. Some choose to go without carbs completely to try and get into a state of ketosis – when your body switches to burning fat for energy as a result of a low calorie intake – and others will stick to a low-carb, high-fat, high-protein diet to promote fat loss. Either way, your carb-gorging days are over.

And whilst the debate about whether carbs are good for you or not rages on, there's one thing we can all agree on: Giving up carbs sucks. All of a sudden, your world is turned upside down. You can't eat the stuff you love any more. No bread, no chips, NO PIZZA. And going without your Mighty Meaty order on a Saturday night in isn't the only struggle – there are many more, like the mood swings, the culinary boredom, the mental poops.

You have to break up with pizza

It's the obvious one, but also the most painful one. Any break-up is bad but this, this stings. And it's not only pizza you have to say cheerio to – it's all the others too; pasta, potatoes, mid-afternoon digestives. The perfect carb orgy, gone, just like that. The worst part? You're going to run into your ex EVERYWHERE. You may even witness one of your good pals engaging in oral activity with them. Just remember to resist temptation, don't go back there. No matter how irresistible they come, be the bigger man.

You feel like you've just gotten over the flu

You feel weak. A shadow. A man unable to sleep at night (yes, hunger pangs can keep you up at night). But only for the first three or four days, mind, until your body adapts. But those three or four days are horrible. You're hungry ALL THE TIME, only this time, the phrase 'feed a cold' is no longer an acceptable reason for demolishing a large Wasabi katsu curry and sticky rice.

The sheer volume of broccoli it takes to feel full is A LOT

When the broccoli is on special offer at the supermarket it brings a brief smile to your face, but when you catch yourself putting five bunches into your trolley that smile is very quickly wiped off. Why do you do it? You can rely on broccoli. It's nutritionally amazing. It's easy to cook. And it's the most value for money green vegetable you can buy. Broccoli won't let you down. But you'll fry it, steam it, bake it, boil it and eat it raw, and realise that sadly, as with anything you eat over and over again, it tastes bland whichever way you cook it.

Office cake is out to get you

You're doing so well. You've successfully avoided coming face-to-face with a single carb for a whole week and then someone announces it's their birthday and five cakes appear in the kitchen. Damn it. No, Dave, I don't want some of your birthday cake. Yes, I feel like a right tw*t for turning you down but that Victoria sponge would sit much better in your belly fat not mine. It's even worse when it's your own birthday because not only do you then have to cut (sometimes even buy) your own cake, but then you have to embarrassingly shuffle away as everyone waits for you to have the first slice. Great.

WTF poops

It's not pretty and it's certainly not funny – spending half the morning on the office throne – but it's a distinct possibility on a low-carb diet. You've drastically lowered your intake of stodgy carbs and it's wreaked absolute mayhem on your digestive system. It's supposed to be a relaxing break from your desk, but now your mid-morning poo has become a rather, er, painful task.

You instantly hate anyone else eating carbs

The moment you switch to the 'light' side, you instantly feel hatred build inside of you whenever you see someone else shovelling a slice of pizza down their throat. This person could even be your mate – a mate you like very much – but an uncontrollable urge to smack that pizza right out of their hands seems to well up. And you hate this side to you too, as well as the way you suddenly feel the need to educate everyone else on how their carb consumption habits are unhealthy and that they should join you on your joyless quest.

Seemingly dull carbs suddenly look heavenly

Baked potatoes. When do you EVER crave one? Never. But now you do. Now even the smell of a dry, plain baked potato is enough to arouse your taste buds. Likewise, the thought of having some fresh, plain pasta is a real treat. Chocolate? No thanks, give me a plain bagel. Weird.

90% of the supermarket is now useless

There was a time when food shopping was fun. When the choice was truly yours. When you could peruse all the aisles and get taken in by whatever marketing spiel and fancy new packaging was on the shelf. It was naughty, but you enjoyed it. Nowadays all you need is a kilo of chicken and two kilos of green veg. Where's the fun in that?

You're poorer

The thing is, when you substitute protein for carbs to keep you full, everything is just a f*ck ton more expensive. It hits your bank balance hard – eating healthy is pricey. How this is allowed to happen is a miracle to you, when the government is preaching about how bad ready meals are and how everyone should eat more veg. Why hitch the prices up then, eh? Madness.

You go to bed hungry and it sucks

When you start a lean, low-carb diet you might be eating more food, but don't feel full. You feel a bit empty, all the time. Granted, this feeling disappears after a few days as your body adapts to the reduced calorie intake but right here, right now it sucks. And it's the worst when you have to go to bed hungry. You toss and turn, constantly trying to not to think about food. You look forward to sleeping because then it will be morning and you'll be able to eat again at breakfast. You used to count down the days to the weekend – now you're counting down the hours until your next bowl of broccoli. Why are you doing this to yourself?

Ah well, at least you're going to look shredded!

We know it can feel like a load of b*llocks but remember why you got into this in the first place; to drop weight, burn fat and get lean AF. Keep going. And at the end of it, you could look like this! Absolutely shredded. You can do it.